I was really glad to get some feedback on last week’s update regarding breast self examinations (BSE) for Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention month. I heard back that the ACS (American Cancer Society) does not recommend BSE anymore because it has not been shown to decrease breast cancer deaths (here’s a link to last week’s newsletter if you’d like to review).
With that said, I just wanted to highlight that self-monitoring for any health issue has so many benefits – just having awareness of the issue means you prioritize your health. Although the ACS has stated that BSE has not led to a decrease in deaths, there are still some positives and BSE continues to be advocated by many breast cancer prevention organizations:
- “A breast self-exam is an early detection tool that uses a combination of physical and visual examinations of the breasts to check for signs and symptoms of breast cancer. The purpose of a breast self-exam is to become familiar with the way your breasts normally look and feel.” – National Breast Cancer Foundation.
- “Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.” – Lillie D. Shockney, Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer
I hope you all understand how establishing a regular routine for this free, portable self-care practice can be helpful. Let me know if you have questions or need support.
AHS School Nurse Calendar
See my website for more information.
Always Your School Nurse,
Dvora Citron, RN, MS
dcitron@auhsdschools.org, 925-280-2970 x7128
IG: acalanesschoolnurse, School Nurse Website
